Frequently Asked Questions

Here you will find frequently asked questions by new or prospective members. If your question is not listed, please Get in Touch.

When do PACE workshops take place?

Paisley workshops take place on a Saturday and also mid-week. Workshops take place during school term time. With four terms in the Youth Theatre year, there are roughly 32 workshops per year in total. Workshops take place in our base at Spires Drama Studios, as well as in The Wynd Centre, Paisley Arts Centre and Team MacNeil Dance Studio.

How are the groups made up?

Our Core Workshops follow in line with academic years, and for older members groups are structured according to age. Our Accelerate and Young Company programmes are for members who have shown particular skill and ability in core classes and entry is by tutor/director recommendation, but these are also divided according to age groups.

All of our groups are run by our trained staff, with the resources of a company that has specialised in working with children since 1988. All PACE staff are registered with Disclosure Scotland.

What happens in workshops?

PACE Youth Theatre workshops are all based on our unique syllabus devised to increase confidence, self-expression, communication and performance skills. They are also great fun and a great way to meet new friends. Workshops are at the core of PACE Youth Theatre and a lot of time and effort is spent ensuring our workshops are fun, educational, well targeted and of the highest standard.
You can find out more about the content and structure of workshops in our Membership & Workshop Information section.

What about performances?

Although PACE is a workshop based youth theatre, members often have the opportunity to participate in shows, be they large scale, devised or scripted. Members get advance notice and discounts on our Fest! Performing Arts Festivals events and performances. PACE mount over 70 Fest! performances every year during the school holidays, giving everyone lots of opportunites to get on stage! These day and week long activities concentrate on drama, dance and music for both members and non-members and are always extremely popular. You can find out more about our Fest! school holidays performance events here. You can also click here to view some photos of recent performances.

What is PACE Casting?

PACE Youth Theatre members are in constant demand from TV and film produstion companies, both nationally and internationally. PACE Casting was set up to represent our members to interested companies and provide a comprehensive chaperoning and licensing service. All this is provided to our members for no additional charge or agency fee. PACE members have appeared in hundreds of films, commercials and TV productions over the years both in the UK and abroad. Established members also have the opportunity to appear in the Young Person’s Casting Directory, the largest directory of young actors in Scotland, distributed annually to hundreds of production companies.

Who has been to PACE?

PACE has worked with tens of thousands of young people, who have used the key skills they have learnt form PACE in all walks of life. Many of these have gone on to work in all aspects of the performing arts. PACE alumni have included singer Paolo Nutini and actors James McAvoy (X-Men), Richard Madden (Cinderella, Game of Thrones), Kevin Guthrie (Sunshine on Leith), Scott Reid (Still Game), James McArdle (Mary Queen of Scots), Amy Connachan (Hollyoaks), Gordon McCorkell (River City), Keira Lucchesi (River City), Mark Rowley (The Last Kingdom), Leigh Quinn (RSC) and
many more.

How much does it cost?

PACE is a self-sufficient, non-profit making company and registered charity so all of our membership charges go towards improving the quality of service we provide to young people.

Membership of PACE Youth Theatre can be paid in three different ways – monthly, annually or every term (there are four terms in the youth theatre year) with discounts available for families with more than one member living at the same address. Full details can be found here.

Members joining mid-term will have their first term payment adjusted accordingly.